Weekend Open Thread

Happy Caturday! Today’s conversation cats come from Michelle H., who adds: “Sending along a couple choice pics of my sweet Nefertiti and her new little brother, the rambunctious Seymour. They’re not buddies yet (more hissing and chasing than any of us would prefer), but they are contemplating the idea. Each of them is crazy sweet to ME, though.”

I’m sorry, was this your favorite spot?
(Sheesh, the things I gotta endure…)
You already voted!

45 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread

  1. Amyliz March 3, 2018 / 8:07 am

    Both your kitties are gorgeous, Michelle, and the bottom picture makes me think it might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

    No big plans here. It’s supposed to be nice, sunny day here (60 degrees!) and all our snow is gone so a friend and I are going to go for a walk in one of our favorite parks. I’ve noticed the birds are starting to sing up a storm in the mornings, always a good sign that spring is coming! Happy weekend, all!

  2. AJ March 3, 2018 / 8:12 am

    Such beautiful kitties!! What breed are they? Nefertiti kinda looks like a Maine Coon, or maybe Persian. Big focus this weekend is to start getting everything packed in anticipation of next week’s move. Also, will be moving some of the small stuff like pictures, clothes, etc. ourselves.

    Had a very exciting hockey game last night with our biggest rivals, and WE WON!! In overtime! And the hockey team’s charitable foundation got $2,500 as a local insurance company pledged $500/per goal. It was a good night all around (except for our rivals, lol).

    Other than that, the usual chores and maybe some thrift store shopping if I get time.

    Have a good weekend everyone and for those in the path of the winter storms here and in Europe, stay safe and stay warm.

    • Squiddy March 3, 2018 / 10:28 pm

      Nefertiti is a longhaired tortie and Seymour is a classic mostly black fluffball (with one white spot on his tummy that it is my life’s goal to rub my nose on).

  3. N. Fritz March 3, 2018 / 8:22 am

    Hello, Cutetropolitans! I am nearly 3 hours into a day long project: cleaning out Fibber McGee’s closet! It is my pantry, bar, clothes closet, craft closet, garden shed, storage and junk closet in one (and no more than 25 sq ft!). I am discarding, recycling and donating. I’ve been extraordinarily productive this week, I think, because I have a big medical follow-up on Tuesday and want to be prepared for the worst case scenario (thyroidectomy). Wish I had a couple of kitty friends like Nefertiti and Seymour to keep me company!

    • Faye March 3, 2018 / 11:43 am

      N. Fritz I have had three partial thyroidectomies. All out now. If you have questions donโ€™t hesitate to ask. Be well.

      • N. Fritz March 3, 2018 / 12:20 pm

        Thanks, Faye! Y’all are so supportive here!

    • Maia March 3, 2018 / 5:55 pm

      Good luck, N.Fritz! I will be thinking of you tuesday and I hope that things are much better than worse-case! ๐Ÿ™‚

      • N. Fritz March 4, 2018 / 6:57 am

        Thanks, Maia! I hope to join you in pruning rose bushes this week!

  4. Gigi The cat lady March 3, 2018 / 8:36 am

    Not much going on here, last week was warm for February so a lot of snow melted, we had a light dusting yesterday but it won’t stay long.

    Your cats are beautiful Michelle H, and Nefertiti reminded me of my long departed Isis who was also a black cat and reigned in my house for 15 years. It also reminded me of this article I read a couple of days ago, it seems that the movie Black Panther is having a positive effect on the rate of adoption of black cats in shelter.

    Here is a link to the article : http://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/thanks-to-black-panther-theres-been-a-reported-rise-in-black-cat-adoptions

    • fkaWaldenPond March 3, 2018 / 11:40 am

      Morning Gigi, Mike posted an article in links yesterday but the reason I say this is because he also included the best/worst pun in the hover ๐Ÿ˜€ “Wakanda cat food you got?” ๐Ÿ˜€ !

      • Maia March 3, 2018 / 1:42 pm

        I had missed that! thanks for sharing it again.

        NTMTOM, you are a genius!

      • Gigi The cat lady March 3, 2018 / 2:24 pm

        Yes now I remember that it was posted in the links yesterday but at the time Mike’s horrendous pun wiped the memory from my mind.

  5. Alice Shortcake March 3, 2018 / 9:46 am

    Monday morning found me poised at the computer ready to book tickets for the RSC winter season at Stratford-upon-Avon – “Troilus and Cressida”, “Tamburlaine”, “Timon of Athens”, and, as a change from plays beginning with T, “A Christmas Carol”. It’s also a good year for Oscar Wilde fans; I have tickets for “Lady Windermere’s Fan”, “An Ideal Husband” and “The Importance of Being Earnest” in London, another “Earnest” in York and Strauss’ operatic version of “Salome” in Leeds!

    • dubravkamcvmd March 3, 2018 / 12:31 pm

      You’re lucky to live nearby.

      • Alice Shortcake March 4, 2018 / 7:13 am

        I am indeed. In fact I’m lucky to live in a country so small you can travel half its length without breaking the bank.

        • dubravkamcvmd March 4, 2018 / 8:19 am

          I remember being astonished at how small Europe is the first time I visited (I was born there but my parents moved to New York with me when i was three months old).

  6. birdlady26 March 3, 2018 / 10:34 am

    Made it through that wicked Nor’easter here in coastal Massachusetts with only a 3 hour power outage last night. Marsh across the street was really high with the tides, but I live on top of a 30 foot hill and far enough away from the ocean so don’t really have to deal with the high tides that flood a lot of the coast here during storms like this.

    Thankfully, the power crews have been working their butts off and getting power back on for folks. Still over 190,000 customers of National Grid without power and about another 200,000 folks mostly south of Boston without power. It’s going to be days for a lot of folks to get power back.

    Spent about 2 hours this morning picking up a few of the downed branches, including the 4 inch dead pine branch that hit my house yesterday afternoon. No real damage here at my home except for some branches off the trees.

    Went to bed early last night, since the power went out early. At least I had turned the heat up quite a bit so it didn’t get too cold. Woke up about 1 am and the power was back on. Yeah!

    My kitty Dancer joined me for early bed snuggles, as she usually does. Couldn’t get back to sleep at 1 am with the wind howling, so got up and read for a bit then went back to sleep again for a couple of hours with more kitty snuggles.

    Enjoying the pictures of “rambunctious Seymour” and “leave me alone Nefertiti” this morning and laughing all the way. Hope they learn to get along better with each other. At least Seymour may provide some exercise for Nefertiti.

  7. allein ? March 3, 2018 / 10:37 am

    Hello all. It’s 40 degrees here and there’s still some snow on the ground but it’s sunny. My drive home last night wasn’t fun, though. My friend is doing game day but I have a headache so I don’t know if I’m going or not. Tomorrow we’re doing my brother’s birthday dinner. His birthday isn’t until the 15th but my mom’s having surgery on the 9th so she’ll be out of commission for a couple weeks.

    Here’s my Saturday silliness.

    • Maia March 3, 2018 / 1:00 pm

      Thanks for the chuckle, Allein! I hope that your headache eases soon. ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Faye March 3, 2018 / 12:04 pm

    Hi everyone. Very strong wind, rain, sleet and snow here for 36 hours. Still windy. At the height of the wind gusts I got a bit frightened that my bedroom window would not hold. Then something hit the window. But other than dealing with drafts all night Millie and I were good. Only one power flicker.

    Storm bonus was Millie curled up against my back under the covers. We slept for 11 hours. She snuggled into my belly when I turned over. Usually sheโ€™s hungry and awake by 7:30. We slept until 10:30. Delicious experience.

    Today I am reading a historical fiction book in advance of going to a book group on Saturday. My first social endeavor in years. It is a womanโ€™s group that meets in a soup, salad, and sandwich restaurant about 40 minuets drive. Food is a good incentive and it is near my favorite art supply store so Iโ€™m pushing myself to show up. Big step.

    Gorgeous kitties! I will assume future pics of them cuddled together. I laughed that Nefertiti has such an exotic name and the kitty is good old Seymour! I had an uncle Seymour. Nice guy! Also made me think of the song Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop Of Horrors. Maybe Seymour was too sudden for Nefertiti!

    Will update on book group attendance next Sunday!

    • Squiddy March 3, 2018 / 10:33 pm

      I tried to give Seymour an exotic name, something like “Midnight” in Swahili — but he’s SUCH a goof. He reminds me a lot of Seymour from LSOH — I sing him that song all the time! He’s secretly in love with Nefertiti, who secretly enjoys his attentions. Or so I tell myself. Things are definitely improving; they both sleep with me in bed at night, and she’s trying to sneak onto my Seymour-ensconced lap as I type. She’s growly, but they’re BOTH in my lap.

      • fkaWaldenPond March 3, 2018 / 10:39 pm

        I love it when cats name themselves. I envy you Squiddy with your lovely Nefertiti and the new goofball. ๐Ÿ™‚

      • Faye March 4, 2018 / 4:54 am

        More pics as things develop please!

  9. debg March 3, 2018 / 12:07 pm

    Beautiful weather here–we’ll reach the upper 60s–so I feel incredibly fortunate not to be dealing with storms or snow. Unfortunately, my cold is still hitting hard. There’s a truly nasty bug going around that can knock people out for up to 3 weeks, and that’s what I’ve got, according to my doctor.

    That doctor visit also made me realize how lucky I’ve been to have health insurance for nearly all my life, because I don’t have it now. This nasty cold has also turned out to be the most expensive one of my life, between lost hours at work and medical expenses.

    I spent time this morning learning how to squeeze saline up one nostril until it comes out the other.

    Beautiful, beautiful kitties, Michelle! Good luck to everyone facing medical procedures, moves, and other big stuff this week. It’s back to bed for my midmorning nap for me.

    • Maia March 3, 2018 / 1:05 pm

      I haven’t gotten that cold (knock wood) but I have seen it flatten people around me. Hopefully snorting the saline solution will help you recover. Sending healing thoughts your way. ๐Ÿ™‚ Maia

  10. Duckie ? March 3, 2018 / 12:21 pm

    Good Saturday morning to all.
    I have only one grumble, so I will get it out of the way. Taxes suck! ????
    So.
    Snow is all melted here. Temperatures above zero. I actually went out yesterday with only three layers of clothes! Wow!
    I ordered a book from our bookstore, and tried to order a second, but their system denied it exists. So I’m going to borrow the non-existent book from the library, and prove that their system is wrong.
    I’ve begun planning my deck set-up for spring/summer. Got my seeds ready to start. I also plan to get my humming bird feeder set up this week, so I can watch the feathered jewels.
    It looks like hubby will be returning to his old landscaping job. The pay is significantly higher, and we will have our weekends back. The work will be harder, though, so I must be very supportive. Huge lunches, etc.
    Weight loss not happening, but I think I’m doing too much fretting. My sister frets a bit, and loses twenty pounds. I fret a bit, and provide a home for her lost weight.
    Hubby and I haven’t given up on our dreams, though. We still want a small amount of property, close to nature, and two cats: a psychotic one for him, and a huge lap rug for me. And maybe a bird and a Pomeranian.
    Speaking of birds, the cockatiel across the hall has learned to ‘say’ the phone rings for his owner’s home phone and cell phone. The owner does not verbally get mad, but I frequently see the steam from her ears coming through the cracks around her front door.

    Nefertiti and Seymour are absolutely gorgeous, Michelle. I think, in my next life, I want to be a cat.

    • Squiddy March 3, 2018 / 10:34 pm

      Wouldn’t that be the BEST? Persnickety, lazy, sometimes crazy…and everybody loves you.

  11. Maia March 3, 2018 / 1:12 pm

    Pretty kitties!

    Reading what everyone is up to, it is obviously starting to be Spring. Hooray! I am trying to decide if we are done with cold snaps (relatively cold, for Seattle) enough that I can prune the rose bushes. Usually I do that the 3rd week of February, so I’m not too late, yet.
    Today is sunny(!) but chilly.

    Thinking positive thoughts for everyone in the path of storms.
    Take care and stay safe.

  12. allein ? March 3, 2018 / 1:33 pm

    This one’s a little risque, maybe, but I’ll share anyway.

    • Faye March 3, 2018 / 3:07 pm

      That would do it for me. No leashes, please!

  13. Rachel March 3, 2018 / 4:08 pm

    What gorgeous kitties!

    Winter finally arrived Thursday overnight – we had a big snowstorm that dropped about 20 inches on us. I live in a ski town in the Rockies so the only serious problem was that until the snow clearing crew (they better have one, I pay enough rent!) came around I couldn’t get out my door. I’m very short. At least everybody at work believed me! It’s not easy to be able to use snow as an excuse for not being able to do something around here, what with it being normal.

  14. murkle46 March 3, 2018 / 7:57 pm

    just another weekend

    • fkaWaldenPond March 3, 2018 / 10:37 pm

      What are those? They look like raisenettes…?

  15. Alice Shortcake March 4, 2018 / 4:06 am

    Well, I managed to make it through the week without getting stuck on a train for fourteen hours (due to the “light snow” I was led to expect by the BBC regional weather forecasts). My front door opens directly on to a narrow pavement which by last Friday – rubbish collection day on my street – was a sheet of ice, so I had to adopt a penguin-like walk and hold the rubbish bag in one hand and the windowsills of the adjacent houses with the other when I walked to the collection point.

    After the exciting adventures of “Actress” last week, here’s the PTTCAYM index for the equally action-packed life of “Actor” between 1880-1890:

    “ACTOR: almost crushed by wall, brain over-taxed by multi-tasking, believes himself to be pillar of salt, carves graffiti on Warwick Castle, dies of starvation, drunk on stage, falls into orchestra pit, falls off makeshift stage, falls through dressing-room floor, feet poisoned by coloured tights, finger blown across stage by exploding gun, forced to improvise after scenery mishap, gets drunk and fights Salvation army officer, goes on shoplifting spree, grocery account abused by sweet-toothed crossing-sweeper, hit by arch in stage earthquake, incompetence destroys artistic scene, has committed 17,000 murders, injured by bathing machine, killed twice nightly, not drowned at York, objects to misrepresentation of marital condition, stabbed on stage, startles policeman with bandaged finger, suicide by leaping from window, threatened by stagehands, survives being blown up by infernal machine, throws vitriol in wifeสผs face, vexed by nut-cracking audience, wears sabre-proof wig”

    • N. Fritz March 4, 2018 / 8:13 am

      Alice, did they use the term “multi-tasking” all the way back in the late 19th century?? Inquiring minds want to know!

      • Alice Shortcake March 4, 2018 / 8:53 am

        No – I have to confess that the wording is mine, and I’ll probably change it before the book is published. The gentleman in question was working as an actor AND a journalist, and it was just too much for the poor soul.

    • dubravkamcvmd March 4, 2018 / 8:23 am

      “Sabre-proof wig” made me stop and think.

      • Alice Shortcake March 4, 2018 / 8:59 am

        From 1889: “THE latest instance of risky realism is furnished by Mr. Richard Mansfield, who puts special vigour into his fighting scenes, and encourages his enemies to play up to him. Accordingly, we learn, the standard bearer at the Globe the other night delivered a vigorous cut, which King Richard failed to parry, and the result was such as would have shocked the audience extremely, had he not kept his back turned and signalled to drop the curtain. Mr. Mansfield has guarded himself against a repetition of this particular accident, it is said, by making his wig sabre-proof.”

        My favourite has to be the foot-poisoning tights, of which I found three examples. Bearing in mind the lethal ingredients used in those days for dye and paint, I’m guessing that “poisoning” was an extreme allergic reaction!

  16. allein ? March 4, 2018 / 10:12 am

    Guys!! I have just learned that there exists a Queen Elizabeth Pop figure.

    AND IT COMES WITH A LITTLE CORGI!!!!!

  17. Patty March 4, 2018 / 12:47 pm

    I’ve been away, sort of. No internet, long story short, I’m broke, there was a misunderstanding about an automatic withdrawal from my bank account, so I owed 2 months instead of one.
    The last few days have been rough, my husband is diabetic (type 1) and for some reason, suddenly his insulin dosage had to be adjusted down.
    I was woken up 3 nights in a row to him thrashing and sweating. The first night he was coherent enough to argue with me about eating something, so as a last resort I poured syrup into his mouth, only to have him spew it back out at me. There was syrup everywhere, on me, on him, on the bedding. I managed to get his blood sugar back up enough that he was cooperative about eating a sandwich. The 2nd night, he was not coherent at all, and I couldn’t force feed him, EMS had to be called. When he could finally talk, he told me he was trying to ask me if he’d had a stroke. The 3rd night, I bet him his blood sugar was low, he had to let me test to win the bet, and he ate a sandwich when he saw it was at 37. After each episode, he lowered the insulin dose by a couple of units, and finally last night went well, for him anyway, I had trouble going to sleep, listening to his breathing, and feeling him for clamminess. On the 3rd night, he asked “Do you love me?” I said, “If I didn’t love you, you’d have been dead yesterday.” He thought that was really funny. He is a lot like a toddler when his level is low, as evident by him spitting syrup at me.

    • Emsthemonster March 4, 2018 / 1:12 pm

      It seems you and I spend the nights in a similar way. I keep checking on my mother who had a surgery last week. In the remaining times I keep checking on my two stupid cats who came home with various injuries – romance is not dead for neutered cats…

      As for the diabetes issue, your husband is lucky to have you by his side. When my mother had such an episode I did not even know why she was not able to speak coherently I suspected a stroke ๐Ÿ™

      • Patty March 4, 2018 / 2:58 pm

        I learned a lot about the symptoms of low blood sugar after his amputation. He is a ceiling mechanic, which is a physically active job. While he was off work, for a year, trying to heal the ulcer on his foot, we had to raise his insulin dose, because he wasn’t physically active at all. When he went back to work, we didn’t even think about that, until several times he had the same sort of issues. Once we got the dose adjusted, he was fine. He hasn’t been working as much in the last few weeks, and went back to work this week. We hadn’t changed the dose though, and didn’t expect the same reaction. I could totally see wondering about a stroke though, it was obvious he was trying to talk, but the only thing coming out were grunts and moans, instead of words. While waiting for the ambulance, it seemed like it took forever, even though it was really less than 5 minutes. It’s amazing how slow time passes when you are waiting.

        • dubravkamcvmd March 4, 2018 / 3:09 pm

          OMG how grueling and upsetting. I’m sorry you’re going through all this. You have a lot to deal with. Do I remember correctly that you have family nearby but that they have their own problems?

          • Patty March 4, 2018 / 8:16 pm

            I do have family nearby. A brother who I take care of, is disabled, doesn’t drive, needs a walker to get around, on a fixed income. Half the time I help him with groceries. Also a sister who is 50 yrs old, and spends a good bit of time homeless, and her 3 bratty daughters (adults) who hang out with her when they aren’t in jail, and expect her to support them. I have another brother who pays my cell phone bill for me, but spends a lot of money helping his wife’s adult children, and a sister who doesn’t speak to any of us, because we were on the “wrong” side of issues when my mother passed away. I do have daughters in town, they can’t afford to support me, but at least they manage to support themselves, and they would feed me if I was hungry.
            The husband has daughters in the area, but he would spend his last dime buying GS cookies from his granddaughters rather than let on he isn’t growing money on trees. Two of them were rather nasty to the third one about her need to go to the food bank when her place of employment closed and left her without a job.

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